Obviously to get the very best choice of tickets at the 1/2 price TKTS booth, one should be towards the front of the line. But in reality, how long a wait would we have in line if we arrived around 10:30 AM on a Monday or 12:30 PM on a Sunday in October? If one comes later, can you still usually get tickets for shows such as Stones in His Pocket or Woman in Black?

It's hard to tell; depends how crowded the city is. When I arrived at 10:30 during the summer, the wait was around 15 minutes.

Now believe it or not, sometimes you can get a better selection by arriving later. Sometimes the theatres release tickets later in the day so it's pretty much a catch as catch can.

Neither of the shows you mentioned are particularly selling out or even close to selling out so you should have little difficulty getting tickets for them no matter when you arrive.

It is not really a function of when you arrive at TKTS. The queue ebbs and flows throughout the day. Sometimes it will be 15 minutes and an hour later there will be only 1 or 2 people in line. I have gotten there as late as 6:30PM and still had several good shows to select from. Every day is different.

Even when the line looks long it moves quickly so you seldom have to wait more than a few minutes.

just go there when it fits in your day's plans.

BTW - VERY few shows play on Sundays (Lion King and Reduced Shakespeare are two that do). There won't be much available at TKTS on sundays . . . .

I've done that line probably 50 times or more. The longest I've ever had to wait was maybe 40 minutes. But that was because I thought I was being smart getting in line 40 minutes before it opened. Otherwise even if it seems the line is a mile long, the wait is rarely more than 10 minutes. I suggest getting there about half an hour after it opens for a minimal wait, but good selection of seats. As xyz has stated another issue is that when they open, sometimes they don't have all show tickets available yet. A few of the theatres won't "call in" their shows to them for a half hour or so after opening, maybe even later.

By the way, you can usually get half price tickets on line for Reduced Shakespeare -- or print out the coupon and go to the theatre to get the tickets. They're even cheaper that way as there is no service charge for them.
Woman in Black is a really easy ticket. I can't imagine getting to the booth 5 minutes before it closes and not being able to get those tickets. Not sure about Stones in His Pockets, but again, they are pretty available last I knew.

Patrick - Can you tell me where online to get the coupon you referenced for Reduced Shakespeare? I checked their website and saw an ad but it expires the day before we get to London. Is there anywhere else that I should look?

Also, since it sounds like you visit the theatre often, do you have any favorites that shouldnt be missed?
thanks,Lisa

Thanks!

my only warning is that tickets to many shows never show up there...i also find the line to move quickly...we usually try to be there about 30 minutes before opening....when we are finished there is seldom a line of many people... you do see shows removed from the billboard during the wait however....you will always get something....go with a wish list and get some or all of it...also try going on a matinee day and get both it and evening tickets....

Three points regarding the previous post. If you plan to get both matinee tickets and evening tickets, two of you need to split up as the two lines are separate. You can't buy tickets for both from one line.

Also I repeat. If you go 30 minutes before it opens, you will definitely wait at least 30 minutes. If you go 30 minutes after it opens, you will probably not wait more than 10 to 15 minutes at most.

And I can't imagine a show being removed from the list in the first half hour of opening. Not saying you're not telling the truth, just that I have never, ever seen that happen. On the other hand, that early you are likely to see shows being added to the list.

The Woman in Black is great. It felt like a scary book novel! We got the tickets at TKTS on the afternoon of the show at around 1pm. Tues night show, about the 5th row back from the stage. The line was never more than a few minutes the two times we were there about 2 weeks ago. Also Noises Off was an unexpected treat. Very funny!

We arrived in the middle of summer at around 1:30 p.m., had to wait a max of 10 minutes, and got incredible seats to the show of our choice. It was, however, during the heat wave, but after it had cooled down to 80 or so. Since most of the theatres are "air cooled" (NOT air conditioned), it may have put people off.